Calm Before The Storm
by argentenipinkini
Summary: Will being away from home make two people feel differently about each other? Derek takes Mr. MacDonald up on his offer. Dasey


Disclaimer: I don't own the show _Life With Derek_, or the song _Calm Before the Storm_ by Fall Out Boy.

A/N: So, here's the thing, I don't know when Canadian schools have winter vacation, or if they even do (I even tried looking!) but in my story it's March and winter vacation is starting up soon. This story takes place after seasons one and two, every episode. I'll try to take everything into account. If I forget something, just tell me. Kendra isn't in this chapter. Yet. Neither is Max. They'll show up. Eventually.

I've had this idea in my head for a while. Ever since Dennis showed up and invited Derek to NY. Oh, and it doesn't really have anything to do with the song, but I liked it for my story and chapter titles.

**--Calm Before the Storm--**

Chapter One: this story's going somewhere

Casey MacDonald was in her bedroom staring at a small picture frame on her bookshelf. It was a picture of three people, her younger sister Lizzie, her dad Dennis MacDonald, and herself. In it, Lizzie had her arms around their father's neck and she was on his back, while Casey was standing by his side, grinning widely while he had his left arm wrapped around her shoulders. It was her favorite picture of the three of them and one of the only photos from before the divorce that featured just the three of them.

She walked over to her bookshelf and picked it up, outlining the face of her dad with her forefinger. She sighed and placed it back in its place.

"What wrong?" asked Lizzie, from the open doorway, coming into the room and sitting on her sister's bed. Casey turned around and smiled.

"Oh, nothing much. Just missing dad." Lizzie nodded in understanding.

"I know he just came to visit a few weeks ago, but I still feel like it's not enough. I wish that he lived closer, rather than hours away in New York city."

"Yeah, me, too," Lizzie said, picking at a thread on Casey's comforter. Then she looked up and grinned. "But you have to admit. It _was_ a good visit. _Very_ memorable."

Casey scrunched her face up in distaste.

"Um, it wasn't the _best_ visit, actually." Lizzie laughed, and lightly shoved her sister's arm.

"Come _on_, Case. It was funny; a pretty eventful night. _Unforgettable_." She stared at Casey until she finally cracked. She slowly started to smile and then they both started to laugh.

"Yeah, I guess the sight of the two of us slipping on that spilled olive oil and then dropping the dinner I spent hours preparing for and then cooking was _pretty_ amusing." She said it in a lighthearted tone, but then found herself frowning once more. "You know, I think it's still too soon to make jokes about it."

"Apparently," Lizzie replied rolling her eyes. She then stood up and started to walk away. "Well, this has been nice, reminiscing and all, but I'm off. I've got a big science project to work on. Hopefully Edwin will be in the mood to help me out. He already finished his."

"Really?" Casey asked, impressed. "Wow, that kid is a little genius, isn't he?"

"That, or he's just an extreme geek."

"Yeah, well don't let him hear that. You know how much he wants to be like his 'cool' older brother, Derek." Casey used air quotes of the word "cool." They both shared an eye roll.

"I know," Lizzie said before leaving the room and shutting the door behind her. Casey smiled and returned to sitting on her bed. Her gaze ended up back on the same picture frame she had looked at only minutes before.

Deciding that maybe she should get some homework done, she got up and went to her desk, turning on her computer and waiting patiently for it to boot up. As she waited, her gaze shifted to several post-its on the side of her monitor. The first one read: "Dad's Cell" and then his ten-digit number. The one underneath read: "Dad's Address in NYC." She looked at it for a minute and then suddenly, it was like a light bulb went off above her head, much like a cartoon character on a Saturday morning show.

"Oh, wow!" she exclaimed aloud and then jumped up from her seat, running to her bedroom door. She pulled it open and ran out, immediately smacking into her stepbrother, Derek.

"Jeez, Casey. When will you stop being Klutzilla?" he asked, looking down at her as he held her shoulders. He was smirking, of course.

She just glared at him in response, deciding not to answer him vocally. He realized that he was still touching her and let go quickly. "Watch where you're going, for crying out loud," he said and then stepped away, shaking his head. He headed for the bathroom to take a shower.

_Yup, this is definitely a good idea_, she thought before she too walked away, at a slower speed this time. When she reached the stairs, though, she couldn't help it and skipped down them.

"Mom!" she called out.

"In the kitchen, Casey!" Nora called back. Casey made her way to the kitchen, grabbing a piece of sliced carrot on her way over to her mother. "Casey, you know you're not supposed to pick food out of prepared meals," she scolded, pointing to the salad that Casey had just scavenged from.

"I know, mom. Sorry. I'm just so excited!" she said, tapping her fingernails on the countertop for emphasis. Nora put down the small knife that she was currently peeling potatoes with and looked up at her fifteen year old daughter.

"Okay, I'm all ears. What are you excited about?"

"Dad!" Casey yelled. Nora looked confused.

"Your dad? What about him?"

"Visiting him!" she yelled again.

"Visiting…?" Nora repeated slowly, trying to understand the full meaning behind the words.

"I'm going to visit dad in New York," Casey finally said after a minute, finally leveling her voice so that she was no longer screeching.

"Oh really?" Nora asked, putting her hands on her hips. "Since when?"

"Well, I just decided about three minutes ago." Nora nodded her head.

"Mmm, hmm. I see. _Three_ minutes ago you decided that you are traveling to New York by yourself to visit your father?" Casey nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes! Oh, and Lizzie can come, too, _if_ she wants. If she doesn't, that's okay, too, because it's not like I can't fly to New York by myself. I will be turning sixteen soon." Her eyes suddenly widened and she made a strange noise.

"What now?"

"I just had another thought!"

"And?" Nora prompted.

"How about I go down to New York city for my sixteenth birthday?" Nora looked hurt for a moment.

"What?" Casey asked, noticing the change on her mother's face.

"Casey, I just thought that you might want to spend your sixteenth birthday with us. You know, the whole family."

"Dad's my family, too," Casey replied.

"Yes, I know, but I was really looking forward to it. I mean, George and I were going to go all out."

"Really?" Nora nodded.

"You know how Derek's birthday is just a few days before yours, four days exactly?"

"Ugh, don't remind me," Casey said, and then shuddered. Nora ignored this and continued on.

"Well, we were planning on having a big celebration for the two of you and going out to eat somewhere extravagant and all that."

"Aww, that's really sweet, mom, but you really don't have to. I mean, I can just have a nice little dinner with dad, nothing big. Plus, I'm sure they'll be plenty of things for me to do in the city. It is famous for its entertainment."

_Not to mention that fact that I don't really fancy the idea of spending my sweet sixteen birthday celebration with Derek._

"Yes, Casey, it really is. I just, I _just_ don't want to be separated from you on your birthday. I've ever missed one. And also, have you even discussed these plans of yours with your father?"

"Well, _no_," she admitted. "Not yet, but he's always saying how he wishes we could see each other more often, and he did say that Lizzie and I could come visit when ever possible, and I think that right now, this winter, is possible. Don't you think?"

"Well, it would be the ideal time, with winter vacation coming up and all. But don't you think you could maybe go after your birthday? You know, maybe wait until this summer?"

"Mom, the summer isn't for another three months! I can't wait that long."

"I guess…" said Nora.

"Hey, mom. If you really need to be with me on my birthday, I'm sure that you could make a trip down yourself and the three of us could spend the day together," Casey said, knowing it would make her mom feel uncomfortable. "Maybe see a Broadway show…" Nora started to squirm a bit.

"Um, I'm not entirely sure that that would be a good idea. No, I don't think I need to do that."

"Right, I get it. It wouldn't be right. But you know, we could just have a nice little birthday gathering for me _after_ my birthday when I get home."

"I suppose…" she trailed off once more.

"Great! I'll go call him right now!" Casey yelled and ran off. Nora just watched her and shook her head.

"Oh, what did I just agree to?"

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"Casey, that sounds like a wonderful idea!" Casey smiled into the phone, and jumped up and down in her bedroom.

"Really, daddy?" she gushed.

"Yes, and it's perfect timing, too."

"Yeah, I know. With winter vacation coming up, it's the best time, really. And because of my birthday."

"Well, yes, for those reasons, too, sweetie." Casey stopped dancing around.

"Well, what reasons did you have, dad?" she asked curiously.

"Oh, just that I just got a call from your stepbrother."

"Edwin called you?" she asked, then narrowed her eyes. "He wasn't bugging you about his stupid farting game again, was he? Yuck." Her father laughed warmly into the phone.

"Actually no, and I can't say I'm not glad about that, myself. No, your other stepbrother—Derek, called me up."

"What?" she screamed. She couldn't think of any other word to say. He laughed again.

"You heard me. Derek called me."

"Again? I mean, why?" she asked. She had been thinking about the time a few weeks before when Derek had called her father back after realizing how upset Casey was about his quick departure.

"Well, he called me up, informed me that his sixteenth birthday was coming up and that he wanted to take me up on my offer of a Rangers game." Casey dropped the phone.

Realizing what she did, she quickly bent down and picked it up.

"Dad?" she asked.

"I'm here. What just happened?"

"Nothing."

"Okay."

"Can you please repeat what you just said to me?" she asked hurriedly and her tone sounded frantic.

"Derek asked if it was a good time to come down to New York city to see a Rangers game. I agreed to it. It's perfect timing because your birthdays are both so close to each other and because you want to come down, too. The game can be a nice gift for him and for you, well, we can do whatever _you_ want."

"I'm still not seeing the perfection."

"What's to see, Case? The two of you can fly down together. I'll discuss all the plans with your mother and George right now, if you want."

"George knows about this?"

"That's what Derek said. He told me that he mentioned it to him before he called me."

"I can't believe this," Casey said, shaking her head and sitting on her bed.

"Believe it, Case. You're coming to visit!" She was silent. "Casey?"

She let out a weak, "Yay."

"Why don't you go give the phone to your mother now?" She nodded, even though he couldn't see her. "Oh, yeah. I almost forgot, he also mentioned that he wanted his best friend, what's his name, again…"

"Sam?" Casey let out.

"That's the one! Derek asked if he could come down, too. For the game."

"What did you say?"

"Yes, of course!"

"Dad, you are way too generous."

"Maybe so, kiddo. Maybe so. Now why don't you go find Nora for me, okay?"

"Will, do," she said, standing up and walking to her door. She walked downstairs, slowly, still contemplating all the information that she had just learned.

_Derek and Sam going to New York? At the same time as me? Right when I decide to go for my birthday he just _has_ to decide he wants to go for _his_ birthday?_ All these thoughts raced through her head as she reached the kitchen. Her mother and George were in deep conversation. From what she could hear, George was just telling Nora about Derek's plans.

"That's so strange; Casey just informed me that she is going to go to New York!"

"Do you think they planned it?" Nora gave her husband a look.

"I highly doubt that, George. Casey is going to freak out when she—"

"Here mom," Casey said as she handed the cordless phone over. Her mother jumped and turned around.

"Casey! How long have you been there?"

"Dad's on the phone," she said monotonously, ignoring her mother's question. She turned around and headed out of the kitchen, not even bothering to look at the confused faces of her mother and stepfather.

In her slight stupor, she didn't see Derek walking towards her. They collided once more.

"Okay, this has _got_ to stop," Derek said. Casey just looked up at him. His hair was damp from his shower and was sticking to his forehead, slightly covering his eyes. She thought for a second that she liked the way it looked but then she shook her head and started to walk away, without saying a word.

"Are you serious? You're still not talking? What is _up_ with you anyway?" he asked, generally interested in knowing why she wasn't fighting back with him.

Marti popped out of nowhere.

"Maybe she's mad at you, Smerek!" Derek looked over at this younger sister and smiled. He ruffled her hair. Casey was now heading up the stairs.

"That's the weird thing, Smarti. She _always_ yells at me when she's mad." Casey didn't hear him because she was already in her room.

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A/N: You've read, now you can review if you want. ; )


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